Implantable Medical Devices Employing Electroactive Polymers For Sensing Cardiac Motion and/or Causing Cardiac Compression

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a system for monitoring a motion of a cardiac tissue. The system includes a motion sensor configured to operably couple to the cardiac tissue. The motion sensor includes an electroactive polymer and is further configured to result in a deflection in the electroactive polymer when the cardiac tissue undergoes the motion. The deflection in the electroactive polymer generates an electrical event.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for monitoring a motion of a cardiac tissue, the system comprising:
 a motion sensor configured to operably couple to the cardiac tissue and comprising an electroactive polymer, the motion sensor further configured to result in a deflection in the electroactive polymer when the cardiac tissue undergoes the motion, the deflection in the electroactive polymer generating an electrical event; and   an implantable medical lead on which the motion sensor is supported, the lead being at least partially responsible for the motion sensor being operably coupled to the cardiac tissue.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a substrate on which the motion sensor is supported, the substrate being at least partially responsible for the motion sensor being operably coupled to the cardiac tissue. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the substrate includes a surface patch configured to be applied to the cardiac tissue. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the surface patch comprises at least one of an adhesive configured for cardiac tissue adherence or a mesh configured for cardiac tissue ingrowth. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the surface patch is at least one of configured to suture or staple to the cardiac tissue. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the surface patch is configured to facilitate the surface patch being wedged into place to mechanically, forceably hold the surface patch against the cardiac tissue. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a device electrically coupled to the motion sensor via the lead, the device configured to detect the electrical event and determine a characteristic of the cardiac motion from the electrical event. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the characteristic includes heart rate, contractility, contractile velocity, or heart chamber contractile timing. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a motion causing assembly configured to operably couple to the cardiac tissue and comprising an electroactive polymer that deflects upon being subjected to an electrical potential, the deflection of the electroactive polymer resulting in deflection of the motion causing assembly, thereby causing motion in the cardiac tissue operably coupled to the motion causing assembly. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the motion causing assembly includes a substrate on which the motion causing assembly is supported, the substrate being at least partially responsible for the motion causing assembly being operably coupled to the cardiac tissue. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a lead and a device electrically coupled to the motion causing assembly via the lead, the device configured to generate the electrical potential. 
     
     
         12 . A method of monitoring a motion of a cardiac tissue, the method comprising:
 operably coupling a motion sensor to the cardiac tissue in such a manner that motion of the cardiac tissue deflects an electroactive polymer of the motion sensor; and   detecting an electrical event generated by deflection of the electroactive polymer.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the electrical event includes an electrical potential. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising analyzing the detected electrical event to determine a characteristic of the cardiac motion from the electrical event. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the characteristic includes heart rate, contractility, contractile velocity, or heart chamber contractile timing. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 operably coupling a motion causing assembly to the cardiac tissue; and   subjecting an electroactive polymer of the motion causing assembly to an electrical potential, the deflection of the electroactive polymer resulting in deflection of the motion causing assembly, thereby causing motion in the cardiac tissue operably coupled to the motion causing assembly.